Flexible service tube or hose housing



w. T. CALDWELL FLEXIBLE SERVICE TUBE 0R HOSE HOUSING Aug. 8, 1939.

Filed Jan.. 11, 1937 Walla; 2 a (ZzZdwPZZ I BY mym lk.

ATTORNEY WITNESS Patented Aug. 8, 1939 UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICEFLEXIBLE SERVICE TUBE OR HOSE HOUSING 1 Claim.

The invention relates to a housing for flexible service tubes or hoseand more especially to refinements over the subject matter of UnitedStates Letters Patent No. 1,458,115 issued on or about the fifth day ofJune, 1923.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a housing ofthis character, wherein a service tube or hose for fiuid when not in usewill be concealed and protected against weather elements and alsoreadily available for service at garages, automobile filling stations orthe like.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a housing of thischaracter, wherein the construction thereof is a refinement over thesubject matter of United States Letters Patent No. 1,458,115 issued onor about the fifth day of June, 1923, in that the use of weights isentirely eliminated and in substitute therefor a chain having therequired Weight is employed for retracting the service tube or hose whennot in use to have it concealed or confined within the housing.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a housing of thischaracter, wherein a service hose or tube will be mechanically releasedand retracted and the manner of effecting the same is novel in kind.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a housing ofthis character, which is simple in its construction, thoroughly reliableand effective in operation, possessed of but few parts, strong, durable,and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thefeatures of construction,

combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses thepreferred embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claimhereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken centrally through thehousing showing the same constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views in the drawing,

Referring to the drawing in detail, which illustrates a practicalembodiment of the invention,

l0 designates a vertically disposed tubular housing preferablyconstructed of sheet metal and which may be conveniently located in agarage or gasoline filling station, the lower portion of the saidhousing l0 being sunken in the ground the desired depth while at theground level or surface is a cementitious reinforcement I I about saidhousing so that it may be sustained rigidly in perpendicular positionwith the upper portion thereof rising the required height from said sur-10 face or level.

The upper open end of the housing 10 has fitted therewith a hinged capor lid [2 and when closed is fastened by a suitable lock I3, the lid orcap l2 being vertically swung upon the hinge 1 pintle l4 for opening andclosing movements.

Formed in the housing Ill above the ground surface or level at one sidethereof is a suitable opening fitted with a framing constituting a mouthrim I5, one part thereof being outwardly flared and extended outwardlyfrom the said opening. This frame l5 through the use of superposedstationary and movable bearings l6 carrying diagonally disposed rollersll, these being oppositely arranged to each other for contact with aflexible hose or tube l8 and the adjustable bearings iii are foraccommodating variable sizes of'fiexible hose or tubes, while such hoseor tube at its outer end carries a hand releasable valve dischargefaucet or spigot IQ for discharging of the contents of the hose or tube,the other end of the hose or tube being fixed to an outlet nipple 20 ofa valved fitting 2| on a fluid supply pipe 22 which is carried throughthe housing to have the fitting 2i interiorly of the latter and thevalve of this fitting being indicated at 23 and is hand operable. Accessis had to the valve 23 when the cap or lid I2 is raised or opened.Movably arranged within the housing I0 is a guide plate or disk 24preferably made from aluminum and carrying centrally thereof a hangerpulley 25 which has trained about the same the hose or tube l8. At theunder side of the plate or disk 24 centrally thereof is an eye 26 towhich is connected one end of a link chain 21 which is of the requiredlength and weight for counterbalancing purposes to retract the hose ortube l8 within the housing Ill and to permit the letting out of the saidhose or tube when pulled upon at the faucet or spigot end thereof. Thischain 21 is a substitute for separable weights and is a refinement overthe subject mat ,er of United States Letters Patent No. 1,458,115 issuedon or about June 5, 1923. The plate or disk 24 functions as a guideinteriorly of the h uusing I9 on the letting out or retracting of thehose or tube l8. In practice, when suspended weight jerks upon the hoseit will in a very short time cause a leak at the hose and iron pipeconnection while an all chain weight of the link type will pullgradually and when settling within the bottom of the housing I0 exerts asufiicient draft upon said hose so that it will be drawn into the saidhousing slowly. This settling of the chain results in the diminishing ofits weight when the hose is being slowly drawn into the housing.

Fitted upon the hose or tube I8 immediately next to the faucet or spigotI9 is a bumper collar or ring 28 preferably made from rubber andfunctions as a stop to limit the retracting of the hose or tubeinteriorly of the housing l0 when such hose or tube is not in use.

The construction before referred to afiords a very desirable andconvenient arrangement for supporting and holding the flexible tube orhose generally employed in garages or automobile service stations andgreatly facilitates the handling of the tube or hose, retaining the samein comparatively clean condition and is a protection thereto againstweather elements when not in use.

It is, of course, understood that changes, variations and modificationsmay be made in the structure as come properly within the scope of theappended claims without departing from the spirit of such invention orsacrificing any of its advantages.

The valve 23 of the fitting 2| regulates the supply of fiuid either airor water to be furnished through the hose l8 when in use.

What is claimed is:

The combination with a housing, of a supply pipe leading to the upperportion of said housing,

a flexible hose connected to said supply pipe and normally containedwithin the housing, said housing having an opening in its upper portionfor the extending of the hose therethrcugh to without the housing, aguide disk movable within the housing and having a pulley with theflexible hose trained thereover for the suspension of said guide disk,and a stretch of link chain forming an all chain weight and having oneend fixed to the disk for suspension thereby to have the other end ofthe chain make contact with the lowermost portion of the housing wherebythe said chain will settle onto the lower portion of the housing andefiect a gradual pull upon the flexible hose for the bringing of thelatter to normal position for being contained within said housing.

WILLIAM TAYLOR CALDWELL.

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